Panic
by Canadian Phil
Summary: VIVA LA BAM. DiCo's not home and Raab's getting worried. SLASH.


Raab paced the floor of the Pirate Bar with a beer in one hand and a bottle of Jack Daniels in the other. Brandon had said he would be back at around 9. The clock now read 12:45am and Raab was beside himself with worry. He paced the length of the pirate bar like a caged animal, a look of concern plastered across his face. Raab's cell phone rang from its place on the counter and he dropped his now-empty beer bottle into the sink, rushing to pick it up before he missed the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey." Brandon's voice chimed.

"WHERE ARE YOU!?" Chris yelled into the phone, sitting on a stool, relieved.

"I'm at home. My fucking mother won't shut up so I had to fake that my phone was vibrating." Brandon laughed.

"You said you were going to be back around nine. IT'S ALMOST ONE IN THE MORNING!"

"Is the reception bad on your end? Why are you yelling?"

"I thought you got in a fucking car accident or something!" Raab's voice was quivering and he fought hard to keep it from cracking.

"Rabbie, are you ok? You sound…weird."

"When will you be home?" Raab asked, his voice high-pitched and anxious.

"I'm leaving as soon as I hang up the phone. Fuck, you know my mom, Dude. I'm telling her that you broke something and are in the hospital, see you in an hour." Bran hung up the phone, leaving Raab staring at the of the reciever in disbelief.

Raab went into the living room and sat on the couch, sipping from the whiskey bottle a little more than he should have been. He set the bottle on the floor, then after a while, decided to lie down and rest his eyes for a few minutes.

"Raabie?" Brandon stood over Chris, shaking his knee gently to wake him up.

"Hmmm?"

"Raabie, c'mon, wake up."

"Bran?"

"Yeah, it's me. Don't sleep on the couch dude, it'll just fuck up your back. How long have you been there?" Bran asked before glaring at the whiskey bottle on the floor. He picked it up and debated throwing it against the wall. God how Brandon hated Raab's drinking.

"When did you get back?" Raab rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"Just now. I saw you lying on the couch and I know you get grumpy after sleeping on the damn thing, and I didn't want to hear you complain." Brandon rambled, extending a hand to Raab.

Raab took it and pulled himself up, reaching for the bottle in DiCo's hand.

"Fuck it. You've had enough." Brandon held the bottle behind his back, out of Raab's reach.

"What?" Raab looked at him, confusingly.

"I said you've had enough. Just go to bed. Good night." Brandon stormed off to the Pirate Bar to put the bottle back in the cupboard. He faintly heard Raab's footsteps behind him.

"Brandon, what the fuck?" Raab whispered, not wanting to wake anyone up.

"You need to stop drinking so fucking much. You're going to kill yourself or something."

"Since when do you care so much?" Raab's voice went from hurt to anger.

"Dude, I'm your friend. I care. Good night." Brandon yawned and turned to walk up to his bedroom.

"Brandon! Fuck you, get back here!" Raab glared at the back of DiCo's jacket.

"I'm going to sleep. My mother talked my ear off and made me tired as hell."

Raab grabbed Brandon's shoulder and spun him around.

"What?" Brandon asked, feeling more than pissed off.

"Fuck you." Raab's eyes shone with tears as he spun around to go up to his room, a few of his soft sobs echoing the stillness of the castle.

Brandon stood still. Why was Raab crying? Was it just because DiCo told him the truth? Bran poked his head out from the top of the stairs, when he couldn't hear Raab anymore, Bran made his way to Raab's room and knocked lightly on the door.

"Raabie?"

"I'm sleeping." Raab's choked-up voice came from inside the room.

Brandon opened the door and walked inside anyways.

"Raabie, seriously. What the fuck is going on?" He shut the door behind him, leaning against it.

"No one else gives a shit, why the hell do you?" Raab accused.

"Dude, we all give a shit! Everyone else is just so sick of you freaking out on them when they say something!"

Raab lowered his head. He knew DiCo was right, but he didn't say anything.

"Raab," DiCo sat on the bed beside his friend. "It's getting worse, we've all noticed it. You're going to fucking kill yourself."

"I can't help it." Raab muttered and Brandon chuckled.

"Yes you can! Dude, there's rehab or AA and don't forget that we're all here to help you. You know Ape wants you to quit it."

Raab nodded, miserably.

"Raab? You ok?"

Raab looked up at Brandon who was smiling sadly.

"No I'm not fucking ok." Raab fumed. "I was fucking worried sick when you weren't back so I had a drink and now I'm being chewed out for it! I'm not fucking ok, Brandon."

DiCo stared at him in disbelief.

"I said sorry, and why are you worrying so much? It's not like I died or something."

"WHAT IF YOU DID?!" Chris' voice was quiet, but very shrill and scared.

"Raab, what has gotten IN to you? How many drinks have you HAD?" DiCo put a hand on Raab's shoulder, his brow furrowing with concern.

"I'm not drunk, god damnit! I thought-" A large lump formed in the back of Raab's throat and his words came out choked.

"I'm sorry." Brandon whispered, giving him a comforting hug.

Raab leaned into Bran's shoulder, crying softly, and wrapped his arms around Bran's neck.

"But I'm ok, it all worked out, right? C'mon Raabie, don't cry." Brandon rubbed Chris' back softly.

"I-I'm sor-sorry." Raab's words were interrupted by hiccups.

"I am too. I should have phoned sooner, but like I said, you know my mom."

"I hate that bitch."

"Hey! She's my mom, shut up!" DiCo let go of Raab, glaring at him a little.

"I still hate her." Raab said, stubbornly.

"I know. I pretty much hate her too."

Raab smiled and hugged Brandon, catching Bran off guard.

"Don't ever do that again ok? I'd throw myself off a goddamn bridge if anything happened to you." Raab's body grew tense and his face began to turn red, realizing what he just said.

Brandon looked into Raab's eyes, an expression of pure shock on his face.

"I-I didn't mean…I mean, I meant…what I MEANT to mean was…fuck." Raab stuttered.

"Do you…do you mean that? Ok, that was stupid, I mean, would you actually do that?"

Raab thought about it for a moment and thanked god that he had drunk just enough to numb his senses as he nodded. A wide smile spread across DiCo's face.

"Why are you smiling?" Raab asked, tears forming in his eyes again.

"Because you're fucking adorable, that's why."

"What did you just say?" Chris' eyes flew open in shock.

"Nothing. Good Night Rabbie, see you in the morning." Brandon stood up, ruffled Raab's hair and walked out of the room, leaving a stunned Raab Himself staring at the door in amazement.


End file.
